This invention relates generally to ski equipment and more particularly to a system for attaching a ski pole to the hand of a skier. Standard ski poles include a leather strap that is wrapped around the skiers wrist. The skier inserts a hand through the strap and then wraps his hand around a grip on the top end of the ski pole. The strap holds the ski pole to the skier in the event that the skier's hand dislodges from the ski pole grip.
For example, when the skier falls during a ski run his hands typically looses hold of the ski pole grip. The strap, however, remains wrapped around the skier's wrist keeping the pole attached to the skier as he falls down the slope. Thus, the skier does not have to traverse back up the hill to retrieve ski poles that have been inadvertently released at the beginning of the fall.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,814 to Scott shows a typical ski pole strap 17 wrapped around the wrist while the skier's hand is wrapped around a ski pole grip 10. The problem with standard ski pole straps as shown in Scott, is that they are difficult to remove from the skier's wrist. For example, the strap must be securely wrapped around the skier's hand so that it does not easily fall off during a ski run mishap. However, because the strap is securely wrapped around the skier's wrist, it is difficult for the skier to remove the strap, especially while wearing heavy gloves or mittens.
For safety reasons, ski resorts require that ski straps be removed before entering a ski lift. Because it is awkward and time consuming for a skier to remove the ski pole strap from the wrist, the skier must begin the process of removing the strap a good deal of time before actually being seated on a ski lift. If the ski lift line is relatively short or does not exist, a skier can ski directly up to the ski lift and immediately be seated on a ski lift chair. Therefore, to save time, skiers remove ski pole straps while still skiing down the mountain so that the straps are removed before reaching the ski lift.
Removing ski straps at the end of a ski run is hazardous since the skier's attention is distracted from the normal skiing process. Having to remove ski straps while skiing also reduces the skiers enjoyment during the latter part of the ski run.
Because the ski strap is just as difficult to attach as to remove, the skier upon exiting from a ski lift must stop and engage each hand through the corresponding strap before beginning the next ski run. Having to continuously attach and detach ski straps wastes time that could be used skiing and in general is a hindrance that reduces the overall enjoyment of the skiing experience.
To reduce the amount of time and the inconvenience of attaching and removing ski straps, various strapless ski pole grips have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,021 to Tobin shows a molded ski pole grip that wraps around the outside of a skier's hand. While the ski pole grip provides additional support for holding the skier's hand in the ski pole grip, the ski pole still releases when the skier's hand no longer is wrapped around the ski pole grip. Therefore, if the skier releases the ski pole grip during a fall, the ski pole typically remains at the initial location of the mishap. Thus, if the skier tumbles down the hill, he still must climb back up the hill to retrieve the ski poles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,674 to Bagneres et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,154 to Street show various locking mechanisms that are used to attach a skier's wrist or glove to a ski pole grip. For example, Bagneres, et al. shows a strap that couples directly to a slot in the ski pole grip. Alternatively, Street shows a clip that attaches to a mating latch formed on a ski pole grip. The attachment mechanisms in both Bagneres, et al. and Street, however, are more difficult to remove than the standard strap shown in Tobin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,896 to Ingalls shows a spring activated pin that is locked vertically into the top of a ski pole grip. The pin 37 is disengaged by pressing down on the top of the pin 37 with the skiers thumb. The pin, however, is not automatically ejected from the ski pole grip 10 after being depressed. Therefore, the skier must grab the pin 37 or strap 49 with one hand and manually pull the pin out of a slot in the ski pole grip. In addition, the positioning of the ski strap 49 makes it awkward for a skier to move his thumb around the strap 49 and over pin 37. Because depression of pin 37 unlocks the pin from the ski pole grip, the system is subject to inadvertent release in a crash.
Thus, in Bagneres et al., Street, and Ingalls, the skier is faced with the same problems arising with standard ski pole straps. Namely, that the strap is difficult and awkward to remove.
Accordingly, a need remains for a quick release ski pole strap that quickly and reliably detaches from a ski pole grip.